Wrestling icon Hulk Hogan died Thursday morning after suffering cardiac arrest at his home in Florida, according to emergency audio obtained by TMZ.
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Paramedics were dispatched to Hogan's Clearwater residence at 9:51 a.m. after a call for a cardiac emergency. The 71-year-old former WWE champion, whose real name was Terry Bollea, was treated by first responders and transported to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Sources told PWInsider that Hogan suffered a "massive cardiac arrest." While there had been speculation in recent months that the Hall of Famer underwent a serious heart procedure, his representatives denied that at the time.
In June, radio personality Bubba the Love Sponge Clem, a former close friend of Hogan, claimed on-air that Hogan was dealing with a life-threatening condition. A spokesperson for Hogan later said he had been receiving treatment for lingering neck and back issues but was otherwise in good health.
Hogan was one of the most recognizable figures in professional wrestling history. His rise in the 1980s helped transform the then-World Wrestling Federation into a mainstream entertainment juggernaut.
Known for his charisma, towering frame, and "Hulkamania" persona, Hogan won six WWE championships and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. He was removed from the Hall in 2015 due to a scandal but was reinstated years later and inducted a second time in 2020 as part of the New World Order stable.
Up until his death, Hogan remained a brand ambassador for WWE and made occasional appearances on programming. He was widely regarded as one of the most influential figures the sport has ever seen
